Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd D2-12-rev 2.

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QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4- -- -PSK PSK PSK PSK


PREPARATION................................................................................ 2
the QAM principle .................................................................... 2
QAM becomes QPSK............................................................................ 3
M-PSK and M-QAM............................................................................. 4
the QAM receiver ..................................................................... 4
experiment simplification........................................................... 5
EXPERIMENT.................................................................................. 6
the QPSK transmitter ................................................................ 6
the demodulator ........................................................................ 7
TUTORIAL QUESTIONS................................................................. 8


D2-12 - 2 Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd

QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4 QAM AND 4- -- -PSK PSK PSK PSK
ACHIEVEMENTS: review of the quadrature amplitude modulator (QAM) in
digital communications; as a generator of a quadrature phase shift
keyed (QPSK, or 4-PSK) signal. Demodulation of QPSK.
PREREQUISITES: it would be advantageous to have completed some of the
experiments of Volume A1 involving linear modulation and
demodulation, as well as the experiment entitled Phase division
multiplex in Volume A2.
ADVANCED MODULES: DECISION MAKER. A total of three MULTIPLIER
modules is required.
TRUNKS: see your Laboratory Manager about the QPSK signal(s) at TRUNKS
PREPARATION PREPARATION PREPARATION PREPARATION
the QAM principle the QAM principle the QAM principle the QAM principle
Recall the experiment entitled Phase division multiplex in Volume A2. Two double
sideband suppressed carrier (DSBSC) signals were combined on a common carrier
(and so a common channel), by adding (multiplexing) them in phase-quadrature.
In the analog environment the two analog messages are independent, and the signal
is called quadrature amplitude modulation - QAM.
The QAM modulator was of the type shown in Figure 1 below. The two paths to
the adder are typically referred to as the I (inphase), and Q (quadrature), arms.

output
channel 1
input
channel 2
input

cos t +
Q
I

Figure 1: a quadrature modulator
QAM and 4-PSK
Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd D2-12 - 3


Not shown in Figure 1 is any bandlimiting. In a practical situation this would be
implemented either at message level - at the input to each multiplier - and/or at the
output of the adder. Probably both !
The motivation for QAM comes from the fact that a DSBSC signal occupies twice
the bandwidth of the message from which it is derived. This is considered wasteful
of resources. QAM restores the balance by placing two independent DSBSC,
derived from message #1 and message #2, in the same spectrum space as one
DSBSC. The bandwidth imbalance is removed.
In digital communications this arrangement is popular. It is used because of its
bandwidth conserving (and other) properties.
It is not used for multiplexing two independent messages. Given an input binary
sequence (message) at the rate of n bit/s, two sequences may be obtained by
splitting the bit stream into two paths, each of n/2 bit/s. This is akin to a serial-to-
parallel conversion.
The two streams become the channel 1 and channel 2 messages of Figure 1.
Because of the halved rate the bits in the I and Q paths are stretched to twice the
input sequence bit clock period.
The two messages are recombined at the receiver, which uses a QAM-type
demodulator.
The two bit streams would typically be band limited and/or pulse shaped before
reaching the modulator.
A block diagram of such a system is shown in Figure 2 below.

output
cos t +
Q
I
serial to
parallel
converter
serial
in
DAC
DAC

Figure 2: a QPSK modulator
QAM becomes QPSK QAM becomes QPSK QAM becomes QPSK QAM becomes QPSK
The QAM modulator is so named because, in analog applications, the messages do
in fact vary the amplitude of each of the DSBSC signals.
In QPSK the same modulator is used, but with binary messages in both the I and Q
channels, as describe above.
Each message has only two levels, V volt. For a non-bandlimited message this
does not vary the amplitude of the output DSBSC. As the message changes polarity
this is interpreted as a 180
0
phase shift, given to the DSBSC.
Thus the signal in each arm is said to be undergoing a 180
0
phase shift, or phase
shift keying - or PSK.
D2-12 - 4 Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd

Because there are two PSK signals combined, in quadrature, the two-channel
modulator gives rise to a quadrature phase shift keyed - QPSK - signal.
constellation constellation constellation constellation
Viewed as a phasor diagram (and for a non-bandlimited message to each channel),
the signal is seen to occupy any one of four point locations on the complex plane.
These are at the corner of a square (a square lattice), at angles /4, 3/4, 5/4 and
7/4 to the real axis.
You will see this signal constellation later in the experiment.
M MM M- -- -PSK and M PSK and M PSK and M PSK and M- -- -QAM QAM QAM QAM
The above has described digital-QAM or QPSK. This signal is also called 4-PSK
or 4-QAM. More generally signals can be generated which are described as M-
QAM or M-PSK.
Here M = 2
L
, where L = the number of levels in each of the I and Q arms. For the
present experiment L = 2, and so M = 4.
The M defines the number of points in the signal constellation.
For the cases M > 4 then M-PSK is not the same as M-QAM.
It is beyond the intended scope of this experiment to discuss these differences. But
it is certainly worth your while to read further on the subject, and to discover the
different constellations that these signals generate.
Refer to your text book for more detail.
See also the experiment entitled Multi-level QAM and PSK in this Volume.
the QAM receiver the QAM receiver the QAM receiver the QAM receiver
The QAM receiver follows the similar principles to those at the transmitter, and is
illustrated in idealised from in the block diagram of Figure 3.
It is idealised because it assumes the incoming signal has its two DSBSC precisely
in phase quadrature. Thus only one phase adjustment is required.


2
in serial
out
parallel-to-serial
converter
A / D
A / D
carrier


Figure 3: the QAM demodulator for QPSK

QAM and 4-PSK
Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd D2-12 - 5

The parallel-to-serial converter block performs the following operations:

1. regenerates the bit clock from the incoming data. See, for example, the
experiment entitled Bit clock regeneration in this Volume.
2. regenerates a digital waveform from both the analog outputs of the I and Q
arms.
3. re-combines the I and Q signals, and outputs a serial data stream.

Not shown is the method of carrier acquisition. This ensures that the oscillator,
which supplies the local carrier signal, is synchronized to the received (input)
signal in both frequency and phase.
experiment simplification experiment simplification experiment simplification experiment simplification
You are familiar with the practice of using a stolen carrier. This enables you to
concentrate on a particular aspect of a system, without being obliged to spend time
becoming involved with carrier acquisition, which can be a complex process.
For an experiment explicitly concerned with the acquisition of a carrier from such a
signal, see the experiment entitled The Costas loop (Volume A2), and Carrier
acquisition (in Volume D2).
Likewise, in this experiment, it is not necessary to become involved with details
which are not of direct relevance. So two independent data sequences will be used
at the input to the modulator, rather than having digital circuitry to split one data
stream into two (the serial-to-parallel converter).
For the purposes of demonstration the above mentioned techniques simplify the
model.
Two such independent data sequences, sharing a common bit clock (2.083 kHz),
are available from a single SEQUENCE GENERATOR module. The data stream
from which these two channels are considered to have been derived would have
been at a rate of twice this - 4.167 kHz.
Lowpass filter bandlimiting and pulse shaping is not a subject of enquiry in this
experiment. So a single bandpass filter at the ADDER (summer) output will
suffice, providing it is of adequate bandwidth. A 100 kHz CHANNEL FILTERS
module is acceptable (filter #3).
D2-12 - 6 Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd

EXPERIMENT EXPERIMENT EXPERIMENT EXPERIMENT
the QPSK transmit the QPSK transmit the QPSK transmit the QPSK transmitter ter ter ter
A model of the generator of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 4.

output
QPSK
2.083 kHz
100 kHz sine
100 kHz cosine
from MASTER SIGNALS
filter #3
select

Figure 4: the QAM modulator for QPSK

The QAM modulator involves analog circuitry. Overload must be avoided, to
prevent crosstalk between channels when they share a common path - the ADDER
and output filter. In practice there would probably be a filter in the message path to
each multiplier. Although these filters would be included for pulse shaping and/or
band limiting, a secondary purpose is to eliminate as many unwanted components
at the multiplier (modulator) input as possible. See Tutorial Question Q7.

T1 patch up the modulator according to Figure 4. Set the on-board switch SW1
of the PHASE SHIFTER to HI. Select channel #3 of the 100 kHz
CHANNEL FILTERS module (this is a bandpass filter of adequate
bandwidth).
T2 there are no critical adjustments to be made. Set the signals from each input
of the ADDER to be, say, 1 volt peak at the ADDER output. See
Tutorial Question Q5.
T3 for interest predict the waveforms (amplitude and shape) at all interfaces,
then confirm by inspection. What will be a suitable oscilloscope
trigger in each case ?

constel constel constel constellation lation lation lation
You can display the four-point constellation for QPSK:

QAM and 4-PSK
Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd D2-12 - 7

T4 set the oscilloscope in X-Y mode. With no input, select equal gains per
channel. Locate the spot in the centre of the screen; then connect
the two data streams entering the QAM to the scope X and Y inputs.

How would the display change if each of the data streams, presently non-
bandlimited, was first passed through a bandlimiting filter ? Try this with the LPF
in the HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER and a TUNEABLE LPF.
the demodulator the demodulator the demodulator the demodulator
Modelling of the demodulator of Figure 3 is straightforward. But it consumes a lot
of modules. Consequently only one of the two arms is shown in Figure 5.
If you have insufficient modules to retain your QPSK modulator, then you can use a
QPSK signal supplied at TRUNKS with which to test your demodulator.

in
stolen carrier
stolen bit clock
channel
out
QPSK

Figure 5: one channel of the demodulator

The PHASE SHIFTER can be used to select either channel from the QAM signal.
If both channels re required simultaneously, as in practice, then a second, identical
demodulator must be provided.

T5 patch up the single channel demodulator of Figure 5, including the z-mod
facility of the DECISION MAKER. Use an eye pattern to locate the
optimum decision point.
T6 while watching the I channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER to
match the demodulator output with it.
T7 while watching the Q channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER
to match the demodulator output with it.

D2-12 - 8 Copyright 2005 Emona Instruments Pty Ltd

TUTORIAL QUESTIO TUTORIAL QUESTIO TUTORIAL QUESTIO TUTORIAL QUESTIONS NS NS NS
Q1 explain how a QAM system conserves bandwidth.
Q2 how would you measure the phase between two DSBSC ? Would a basic
PHASE METER, which is used for indicating the phase between two
sinewaves, be of any help ?
Q3 the modulator used the quadrature 100 kHz outputs from the MASTER
SIGNALS module. Did it matter if these were not precisely in
quadrature ? Explain.
Q4 the demodulator did not rely on the phasing of the 100 kHz quadrature
outputs from the MASTER SIGNALS module, but instead required
some means of phase adjustment of the carriers into both
MULTIPLIER modules. Explain.
Q5 in the modulator, if each signal at the ADDER output is 1 volt peak, what will
be the peak amplitude of their sum ?
Q6 name one advantage of making the bit rate a sub-multiple of the carrier
frequency.
Q7 why is there a need to eliminate as many unwanted components as possible
into the modulator ?